默契

[End of April. Beginning of May] DAY 5 report by Chun-liang

Clinton and Gabi and I gathered together at 2:45am, shortly after that Jordan showed up on the pavement (he basically walked there I suppose), then Mon showed up with her sleeping bag (no kidding). Joel was there with his camera, Greg was the last.

When we started, I saw a guy hanging around a homeless woman in Melbourne Central. I was very alert suddenly, after watching for a bit I decided to run over there to check if he’s harassing her. Once I get there I realised there were two women on the floor and the guy was holding an unlit cigarette, asking “What’s the problems?”

I ran really fast and was struck by the question because from the look of it they were only chatting. I said nothing, no problems. The younger homeless girl said that “I could have one of those leg warmer.” And I said “Yah sure.”

I was really going to take off my shoes and gave her the leg warmers and she said “No, No, you keep it, keep yourself warm.”

The memory was blurry now but I remembered the guy hinted that I should leave and I did. After I went back to the pavement on Swanston Street, Joel gave me a hug. He was probably the only one who had a slight idea about my sudden burst of running.

Also I find it hilarious that I choose not to cross the bars between the tram lines but I didn’t really walk on the crosswalk, either.

I remembered Gabi dancing on the floor quite seriously, and she rolled on the stairs, each by each.

Photo: Greg Wadley

Clinton was the first one to start the journey on walking along the library. I was inclined to follow him but I also knew that Gabi was still dancing right in the middle of the pavement. At first I ran between Gabi and Clinton with the blanket flying in the wind, then I kneeled down and held out my hands, Gabi saw me, came over, and gave her hand to me. I gave her my lantern, bell, and the blanket, and went to the middle of the pavement for Gabi’s. We hesitated in who goes first for a mere second, then she headed off.

That was the time when the water sprinklers started to work. Clinton was on the pavement at La Trobe St., I was on the lawn, Gabi was at the corner. We held up our lanterns to signal that we’ve seen each other.

We walked a long the pavement on La Trobe Street. There were two security cameras and Clinton and I each held up our lanterns toward it. Gabi was in between the bars on a small platform.

A few taxis drove by, I turned my lantern toward them whenever they drove passed me.

At the intersection, I pushed the walking-light button and started to run on the crosswalk. Soon Clinton and Gabi started to run. And Gabi did several cartwheels on the road! Jordan was at the other side of the library at one point as well.

We turned and walked along Russel Street. Clinton was making sounds with an iron gate. I stood in the middle of the road, where there were carparks. There was a sign saying ‘car park only’ on one side.

There was nothing written on the other side.

Clinton made several long notes. I responded a little bit.

Gabi tied her blanket on the pillar in the middle of the road.

Clinton walked on, I gave Gabi my blanket again and went back to untie her blanket.

Clinton and Gabi were at one of the window of State Library.

There were more people who came passed us who were drunk.

A guy took my blanket when I held it in the air. He turned back to me and apologised.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to take it.”

He put the blanket on my head and his friend said that you have to keep it like this.

“There’s a ghost on the street.”

I reached out with my right hand and he was slightly shocked. They kept on walking.

Gabi and Clinton was still beside the window.

I started to do handstand with the support of the wall.

Later on, I think, the same guy and the same group walked passed me again on the same pavement, different direction. I walked along him for a few meters, he stopped and said to me,

” You look like a happy person. But you’re allowed to be angry.”

I waved at him when they crossed Lt. Lonsdale St. He also looked back several times.

I could smell the alcohol in his breath.

I was really tired.

Greg was pretending he was a passerby and asked me what I was doing.

I was holding back my nasal mucus.

I was really sick.

At one point Joel hugged me. And he wrapped me with the blanket. Then Joel wrapped me in the sleeping bag.

I was very weak.

It was a twisted feeling. If I could, I would just sleep there.

I couldn’t breathe properly.

After I got out of the cocoon, someone, probably Jordan, pushed down the front of my head. My nose and mouth were fully covered. It made breathing a lot easier, it also meant that I couldn’t see anymore.

I walked the whole way being blind on Lt. Lonsdale with everyone’s help. And I rode on a trolley for quite a while. After we came back to the flat ground, Clinton was trying to help me walking, especially with the steps. I remembered being stubborn about not wanting any kind of help, and pushed him away.

I guided myself by kicking my left foot first so that I would know if there are stairs ahead of me.

Flat ground, base of the statue, the light on the ground permeating into my hat. Traffic, water sprinkler. Jordan raised my hat.

The sky has turned white.

A security guard came by and asked us what we are going to do. I said we’re doing nothing, we’ve finished. He was good about it and reminded us that no videography. We shook hands.

After that everyone went to Stalactites for coffee and some food. We were all tired. When I went back to Clinton’s car to get my bag, we realised he didn’t lock the door.

Joel and I took an express from Flinders Street that went to Mooroolbark. We didn’t know that train would stop at Box Hill and it was a nice surprise. I slept on the train with my hat over my face, until Joel raised my hat and woke me up.

Now, I’m home, I’m showered, I’m in bed. The sky is cloudy, I can hear the bird.

Everything feels very much like a vague memory. We started End of April on Sunday, but to be honest it feels like last year.